Bartholomew yanked the struggling Alex back from the growing chasm. His friend kicked and scratched but the blond boy refused to let go. Digging in his heels, he leaned back. His shoes skidded over the loose soil as Alex pulled both of them closer to the pit.
“Let me go!” Alex elbowed Bartholomew in the gut, knocking the wind out of him.
Bartholomew coughed and choked out a no.
“Let go!”
“Stop.”
“I can save her. I know it.”
“No, you can’t.”
“If we make a rope then—”
“Then you’d be paralyzed and sucked into the white. She’s gone. There’s nothing you can do.”
Squirming, Alex tried to twist away. His arms shot in all directions, but Bartholomew refused to let go. Kicking, Alex connected with a shin before Bartholomew wrestled him to the ground. Like wheels on an old jalopy, they roll
